Mountain Springs Church: Recent Episodes
Mountain Springs Church
For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.
—Job 33:14a, NIV
He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. - Colossians 4:12, NIV
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. —Colossians 4:2, NLT
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. - Colossians 3:18-21, ESV
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, —Colossians 3:12, ESV
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. —Colossians 3:1a-2, ESV
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. —Colossians 2:16-17, ESV
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. —Colossians 2:6-7, ESV
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. - Colossians 1:15-16, NASB95
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, —Colossians 1:13, ESV
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. - Colossians 1:1-2
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
—Luke 15:22-24, NIV
If we live with the underlying assumption that our responsibility is to demonstrate change and close the gap through human effort, we can begin to relate to God as if the hope of the gospel is self-remedy, rather than God-redemption!
Many of us spend much spiritual energy trying to do demonstrate something to God rather than open our souls to an encounter where we can become someone in God.
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” - Matthew 14:26-27
We believe God is with us, but we don’t always feel it. Anxiety gets loud, control creeps in, and rest feels out of reach. There’s another way.
The Gospel turns everything upside down: not a path you strive to walk or a price you have to pay, but a promise already secured for you in Christ.
Have you ever noticed a gap between what you believe about God and what you experience from God?
One of the great challenges of being a follower of Jesus is navigating the gap between our belief and our experience.
The same power that raised Jesus is the power that brings us near, and awakens the dead, and begins something new in us all.
On Good Friday, we don’t come to celebrate. We come to remember the Son of God as He laid down His life for mankind.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” - Revelation 22:13
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. —Revelation 21:1-2, ESV
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
—Revelation 20:1-3, ESV
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. —Revelation 19:11-13, NASB95
Pay attention to what is shaping you. Pay attention to where your loyalty lies. In the middle of judgment and intensity, Jesus gives a pastoral word: stay awake. The greatest danger to the church isn’t persecution, it’s drowsiness. Babylon looks powerful and permanent, but it is a false hope. This message is a call to remain faithful to the Lamb, to come out from what competes for our allegiance, and to build our lives on what will actually last.
What we’re looking at this weekend is the most significant turning point in the history of the local church – all involving ordinary people like you and me!
Here is the moment when the waiting gives way to fulfillment, and what God has been doing quietly comes to completion. The now and the future belongs to the Lamb!
The question isn’t, “when is judgment coming?”
It’s “whose mark is on our life when it arrives?”
God covers his people when setting the world right.
At the appointed time, the trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will rise, and the saints who remain alive will be gathered to welcome their coming King!
They never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
—Revelation 4:6-8, ESV
But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. —Revelation 1:17b-18, ESV
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. —Isaiah 65:17, NASB95
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. —Isaiah 61:1-3, ESV
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. —Isaiah 58:13-14, NIV
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. —Isaiah 55: 1-3, ESV
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord —Isaiah 54:10a, ESV
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. —Isaiah 43:19, ESV
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. —Isaiah 41:18, ESV
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. —Isaiah 40:27-31, NIV
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. —2 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. —Matthew 6:19-20, ESV
“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. (Even though it’s) the smallest of all seeds, (when sown and upon being grown) it is larger than all… —Matthew 13:31-32, ESV (Abbreviated)
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. —James 4:14, NIV
So, knowing he had received the double portion… he took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then (in picking up the mantle…) he struck the water, and it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. —2 Kings 2:13-14, ESV (Abbreviated)
“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.” —1 Kings 19:12, ESV
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” —Jeremiah 1:5, ESV
15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
—Mark 1:15, NASB95
9b But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
—2 Corinthians 1:9b-10, ESV
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
—Galatians 5:25, NLT
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call —Ephesians 4:1-4, ESV
17 “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
—2 Chronicles 20:17, ESV
28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
—Matthew 12:28, ESV
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
—Acts 1:8, NIV
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
—John 14:12, ESV
50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
-Luke 24:50-52, ESV
5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen.
Luke 24:5-6, ESV
14b For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:14b, ESV
“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. - Luke 16:10, NASB95
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. - Luke 15:20, NIV
So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” Luke 14:33-35, NLT
And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Luke 12:29-31, ESV
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
Luke 11:9-10, NASB95
And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
-Luke 9:6, ESV
“Someone passionately interested in the cause of the leper very carefully avoids speaking to the leper in his path in order to get on with the cause. And it occurs to me that Jesus couldn’t have cared less about the
cause or rights of the leper. Jesus stopped. And healed. And loved. Not causes, but people…” Madelene L’Engle.
He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. --Luke 6:48, ESV
And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. —Luke 5:10b-11, ESV
During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” —Luke 3:2-6, ESV
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. —Luke 1:1-4, ESV
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice —1 Kings 19:11b-13a, ESV
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. - Isaiah 9:7
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. —1 Corinthians 16:1–4, ESV
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
—Isaiah 9:6, ESV
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. —1 Corinthians 15:21-22, ESV
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of (said) tongues…these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each as he wills.
—1 Corinthians 12:4-11, ESV (Abbreviated/Edited for emphasis)
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. —1 Corinthians 12:8-11, ESV
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. —1 Corinthians 11:2-11, NIV
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. —1 Corinthians 10:1-4, ESV
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. —1 Corinthians 13:1-3, ESV
Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. —1 Corinthians 7:17, ESV
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ESV
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. " - 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, ESV
"So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." —1 Corinthians 2:5, ESV
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." —1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV
"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well." - 2 Timothy 1:5, ESV
The more of parental teaching the better; ministers and Sabbath-school teachers were never meant to be substitutes for mothers’ tears and fathers’ prayers. —Charles Spurgeon
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." —2 Timothy 4:1-2, ESV
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." —Matthew 28:19-20, ESV
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. —Genesis 8:22, ESV
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:12-13, ESV
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." —Philippians 4:4-7, NLT
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:8, ESV
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. —Philippians 2:12-13, NIV
"I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." - Philippians 1:12-14
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6, ESV
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:2, ESV
"The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception." - Proverbs 14:8
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” —Genesis 1:26, NIV
"And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you." - Joshua 23:3, ESV
Now these are the kings of the land whom the people of Israel defeated and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the Valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, with all the Arabah eastward: —Joshua 12:1, ESV
The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.” —Joshua 10:8, NASB
"And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them." - Joshua 9:15
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
—Proverbs 31:8, NIV
"O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?” —Joshua 7:8-9, ESV
"The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did as he was told." —Joshua 5:15, NLT
At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. —Joshua 3:2-3, ESV
And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. - Joshua 2:1
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. —Joshua 1:7, ESV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. —2 Corinthians 5:17
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. —Isaiah 53:5
"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." —Matthew 6:31-33, ESV
To get what you’ve never had, you must do what you’ve never done! To get what you once had, you must do what you once did!
Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. —Proverbs 16:24, NLT
"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." - 2 Corinthians 9:6
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ - Matthew 25:24-25, ESV
"And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all." - Mark 6:41
19c You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
—1 Corinthians 6:19c-20, ESV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
—John 3:16, ESV
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." - Psalm 139:13-14, ESV
If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success. —Ecclesiastes 10:10, NKJV
If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. —Ecclesiastes 10:10, ESV
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. - 1 John 5:1, ESV
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8, ESV
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called
children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us
is that it did not know him. - 1 John 3:1
Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. - 1 John 2:7-8
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us. - 1 John 1:1-2
Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” —Mark 4:29, ESV
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. —2 Corinthians 9:6, ESV
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” —Acts 1:8, ESV
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” —Matthew 22:34-40, ESV
EMPOWERING GOD'S PEOPLE TO CHANGE THE WORLD
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And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. —Genesis 1:11-13, ESV
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. —John 21:1, ESV
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. —Luke 24:13-16, NIV
Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. —John 19:1–3, ESV
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. - John 18:1-2, ESV
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, —John 17:1, ESV
But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. —John 16:7, NLT
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:1-5, ESV
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. - John 14:1-3, ESV
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. - John 13:1, ESV
So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” —John 11:47-48, ESV
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. —John 11:1-2, ESV
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. —John 10:1-3, ESV
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. —John 9:1-7, ESV
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12, ESV
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery —John 7:53-8:3a, ESV
After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him. So Jesus *said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee. —John 7:1-9, NASB
On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. —John 6:22-24, ESV
After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) —John 6:1-4, NLT
After the two days he departed for Galilee. (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. - John 4:43-46, ESV
The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
—John 4:9-10
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16, ESV
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. —John 2:14, ESV
When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. —John 2:3-7, ESV
Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. —John 1:38–39, ESV
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. —John 1:6-7, ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. | John 1:1-5
Be careful how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. —Ephesians 5:15b-17, ESV
When feeling out of control, the harmful response is often to run from reality and slip into a shadow of isolation.
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ - Philippians 3:8, ESV
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. —1 Corinthians 13:13
I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me,
—Habakkuk 2:1, ESV
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. —Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” —Isaiah 40:3-5, ESV
“It is impossible to read the Bible without being aware of its numerous predictions of the coming of the Messiah found in both Testaments. This prophetic message was first given to Israel, and then subsequently it was shared with the whole world.”
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. —Matthew 10:8, ESV
Even in hard times, loving, generous people always default not only toward gratitude but happiness. —Randy Alcorn
“The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. —Exodus 23:19, ESV
“Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.” —A.W. Tozer
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. —Proverbs 11:25, ESV
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19, ESV
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
—1 Corinthians 12:10, ESV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 6:10-12, ESV
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” —Matthew 11:28-30, MSG
The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people. - A.W. Tozer
The Holy Spirit’s power and presence in a believer’s life is as critical today as it ever has been!
And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. - James 5:15-16
Pride is an independent, me-oriented spirit. It makes people arrogant, rude and hard to get along with. When our heart is prideful, we don’t give God the credit and we mistreat people, looking down on them thinking that we deserve what we have. —Joyce Meyer
Our tongue is small but our words are powerful. The words we use can really hurt or bless and encourage the world around us.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
“In order to communicate rationally and successfully with anyone, you have to make sure they’re regulated, make sure they feel a relationship with you, and only then try to reason with them.” —Dr. Bruce Perry
All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. —Acts 4:32-35, NLT
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:14-15
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” —Matthew 22:36-40, ESV
Identify the need God is revealing, investigate to understand the best approach for meeting the need, collaborate to accomplish what God is asking of you and persevere when you encounter resistance!
Be on the lookout for divine interruptions, identify your holy discontent, and pray big and bold prayers.
Is it true today that when people pray Cloudless skies will break, kings and queens will shake? Yes, it’s true and I believe it I’m living for you Is it true today that when people pray We’ll see dead men rise, and the blind set free Yes, it’s true and I believe it I’m living for you I’m gonna be a history maker in this land I’m gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind I’m gonna stand, I’m gonna run Into your arms, into your arms again —History Maker - Delirious
Flex your spiritual muscles gently, choose your theological hills biblically, and pursue the Lordship of Christ daily.
“In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” —Rupertus Meldenius
Anything that has our minds attention, our hearts affection, and our souls ambition affectively has our worship. - Tim Hughes
Jesus speaks forgiveness over our sins, He offers us life beyond our labels and He creates hope for our future.
Jesus is the bedrock of Christianity. He is both the criterion and the conclusion of all things!
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. | Romans 8:26-27, ESV
"Romans is ‘The principal and most excellent part of the New Testament, and a light and a way in unto the whole Scripture’." | William Tyndale
The Lord is my shepherd; I have ALL that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. | PSALM 23
In the Bible we find the framework for thinking about movement where it restores us to a place of seeing our bodies as a gift from God that we’re to steward, but not as an idol that we’re ultimately trying to find our identity in!
The Gospel of Jesus comes with a Path and a Promise. The promise isn’t just Jesus, it is what Jesus can give to us: peace, freedom and love. That is what we get with Jesus. We get freedom from our shame and regret, we get peace in our deepest being and we get to relax into the unconditional love of the creator of the universe.
We were made for relationship with God and with others. We can replace our relational toxic tendencies with fruitful habits that foster relational health.
Our love for speed and our obsession with getting more and achieving more has led us into a way of living completely at odds and out of alignment with kingdom rhythms!
Transforming lives from neighborhoods to the nations by the power of God's love. Take a closer look at how Mountain Springs Church is living the mission in our neighborhood.
In Romans 7, Paul will unpack God's primary purpose in bringing the Law and then dramatically pivot into how we cannot keep the law, thus magnifying the great need for Jesus to come!
It’s not about what you have done… it’s about what Jesus has done for you!
It’s not about what you have said… it’s about what Jesus has said about you!
It’s not about what you regret… it’s about what Jesus has redeemed!
“Original sin is the only Christian doctrine that is empirically verifiable…” —G.K. Chesterton
Through Jesus, we have peace with God. In Jesus, we are welcomed into Grace. Because of Jesus, we rejoice in the hope of Glory!
Justification is by grace, redemption is through Jesus and atonement is purchased with blood.
And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. - GENESIS 22:18
Some outright reject the father and choose no relationship. Some strive for favor and completely miss relationship with the father. Some know the father through a relationship with Christ.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. - PSALM 23:1-3
Christianity was never to be a celebrity cult of adoring fans in the stands but instead a global movement of transformed people empowered by the Spirit to change the world! - Pastor Daniel Rolfe
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; - ACTS 2:17, ESV
As we wrap up our series the The Good Life, we ask ourselves three questions: Where are you headed? Who are you following? What is your foundation?
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. —MATTHEW 7:1-2, ESV
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. —MATTHEW 6:1-4, NIV
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. —MATTHEW 5:33-37, ESV
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. —MATTHEW 6:9-13, ESV
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. —MATTHEW 6:25-33, ESV
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. —MATTHEW 5:21-22, NIV
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. —MATTHEW 5:27-32, ESV
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - MATTHEW 5:13-16, ESV
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. —MATTHEW 5:10-11, ESV
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:7-9, ESV
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. — MATTHEW 5:6, NIV
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. — Matthew 5:5, ESV
Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. —Matthew 5:4, ESV
Comfort only comes after healthy mourning.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
MATTHEW 5:3-10, ESV
Live Boldly. Don't Settle.
A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the Kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution. - J. Oswald Sanders
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. —Isaiah 43:2-3, ESV
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13-14
John 3 declares to us that God’s love is not passively generic – it is aggressively personal!
The church is perfectly designed to achieve its distinctive mission, but to do so requires it follow the Ephesian 4 model.
The church is perfectly designed to achieve its distinctive mission, but to do so requires it follow the Ephesian 4 model.
We have been invited into a relationship with God. Through that relationship, we encounter a living God.
We are called to step into our cultural moment with the lifesaving and sin-defeating message of the Gospel.
When we look closely at scripture, we see that submission is an invitation. We don't submit because we have to, but because Jesus did & we get to.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. | Matthew 6:33
First Peter was written to churches living in the in-between time, of what has happened with Jesus coming & what will happen with Jesus coming again.
Making a difference begins with a hope-filled confidence that there are better days ahead.
In order to increase our hope, we must refuse to go alone, replace burnout with rhythm and live a pure life.
To unleash hope in our lives, we must recharge our batteries and raise our expectations.
Thriving people learn to thrive for one simple yet substantial reason - they commit to faithfully doing things that produce inner strength and hope.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' | Galatians 5:14
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. | Revelation 3:20
"If we love one another, God's love abides in us and his love is perfected in us." | 1 John 4:12
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. | Romans 5:5
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” | Galatians 5:14
So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. | Ephesians 3:10
The unstoppable hope of Jesus allows us to live in the realm of possibility and not crippled in our realm of reality.
When things get hard, it is in our nature to look for reasons but it is God's nature to offer relationship.
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes" | Matthew 21:42
And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. | Mark 4:8
So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | Philippians 2:10 - 11
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." | John 1:14
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." | Malachi 3:1
CONTENT NOTE: This message was delivered to a mixed room with children present. Due to this fact, we avoided the very accurate words like “rape” or “trafficked”. You will hear softer phrases like “this was against her will” or “she was taken”. But we want to clearly state that Esther did not desire this. She was trafficked into this situation. She was forced to have sex with the king. And yet, God used this horrible situation for his glory.
"Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill." | Haggai 1:5 - 6
"He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions." | Daniel 6:27
"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." | Lamentations 3:@5 - 26
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!" | Isaiah 55:1
"I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them." | Hosea 14:4
"'Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.'" | 1 Kings 12:4
"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'" | 1 Samuel 16:7
"He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world." | 1 Samuel 2:8
"'The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!'” | Ruth 2:12
"And he said to him, 'Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.'" | Judges 6:15
"'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.'” | Joshua 1:9
"But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, 'O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?'" | Exodus 32:11
"Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place." | Exodus 13:3
When God makes us into new creations, we are called towards creating a new world around us.
A mature follower of Jesus can both wrestle with the hard questions while embracing their faith in the fog of our spiritual war.
Where justification is the declaration of identity in God, adoption is the invitation toward intimacy with God.
Because of Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God - not based on our own performance or merit, but entirely on God’s promise.
We are called to rule and work toward restoration, partnering with God and working for God.
If we are to work toward restoring our world, we first have to shake off the comfortable notion that Christianity is merely a personal experience where we only apply it to our private life.
Grace is not a wrapped package we grow tired of; it is a freely given covenantal promise from God.
God is calling local churches in America and the world to be communities of unifiers and reconcilers, not dividers.
It is not enough to simply be filled with the Spirit - we must pursue unity and strive to build up the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Tom Anthony | Spiritual gifts can be confusing or unknown. Depending on your upbringing, you possibly have never heard of them before or was raised to have very strong opinions on which ones still exist. But there is one goal to all of the spiritual gifts - to build up the Church.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer | Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...perhaps we've all heard that list before or even have a song to remember them. But where do they come from or how do we get more love or patience or self-control?
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | How does God speak today? How can we know it is God speaking? Questions that demand answers and yet vary person to person, religion to religion. But we do know God's Word promises that he speaks to us. We simply need to be faithful and obedient to listen, seek and obey.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | God wants us to be filled with the fullness of the Spirit, but what that looks like or feels like can often feel confusing or overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be.
Eric Sandras | The miracle of Pentecost wasn’t that they spoke in tongues, it was God spoke their language.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we kick off a 7-week series on the Holy Spirit. Who is he? How does he interact with God the Father and Jesus? Is he in the Old Testament? Listen to find out!
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we wrap up our series in 1 & 2 Samuel by looking at the end of David's rule. We learn that there is only one King who can ever satisfy us, Jesus.
Ben Stewart | This weekend we continue to follow the life of David, this time as he meets controversy and rebellion with Absalom. David once again is on the run for his life while continues to seek after the heart of God.
Pastor Evan Stone | This week we look at David's sinful acts with Bathsheba while also looking at the redemption and freedom that comes through repentance.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | We are so excited to share with you the next chapter of ministry at Mountain Springs Church! Our new mission and vision statements as well as some new initiatives have been in the works for nearly four years as God has been strengthening our foundation and calling us to deeply impact lives from our neighborhoods to the nations. We can't wait to see all that God has in store!
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | Even in David's darkest moments, it is clear that he never let go of God. This week we are looking at the strongholds and grief that can weigh us down but, like David, have the choice to continue to pursue God as we work through them.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we look at the parallel lives of Saul, Israel's first king, and David, Israel's promised second king, and how, through their lives and decisions, they either choose to follow after God or reject God's will in their life.
Pastor Tom Anthony | God has a plan and God has a pace because he wants to see us transformed.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | Merry Christmas! This year we are looking at Jesus as the light of the world and how that transforms whatever darkness we find ourselves in.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we take a close look at the story of David's battle with Goliath, a story that many know quite well. But what does it mean to actively fight your giants and stand firm amidst the trials of life?
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we look closely at the life, leadership and fall of Israel's first king. Saul was called and anointed by God to rule over Israel yet his kingship was far from perfect. However, even in the midst of Saul's failures, we can clearly see God's favor, kindness and grace protecting Israel.
Continuing in week 5 of our King & Kingdoms series, Pastor Daniel Rolfe speaks about the 'Invisible Hand of God'
Continuing in our Kings & Kingdoms series, Evan Stone speaks about restoration, deliverance, and peace.
Continuing in our Kings & Kingdoms series, Pastor Daniel speaks about a crisis and a calling within the corruption at the spiritual epicenter in Isreal.
Continuing in our second week of the Kings & Kingdoms series, we take a look at the inspiring life of Hannah.
Beginning in our new series: Kings & Kingdoms; Pastor Daniel gives an edifying introduction to First and Second Samuel.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | For the past several weeks we have been talking about how as people of faith, it is essential that we dream dreams of a multiplying faith and be stretched in what we do. Let's be people who don't simply come to church or go through the motions of our faith but are used by God to bring his kingdom here.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | In any situation, it can be easy to think simply of what we don't have. Maybe it's feeling like we don't have enough time or money or gifts to offer - but God promises to take what little we actually do have and multiply it for his kingdom purposes.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | Last weekend we kicked off a 4-part series focused on growing, strengthening and deepening our reach as followers of Jesus and as a church. We must not settle with what God has done so far but continue to reach beyond our norms.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | Depending on life's current circumstances, settling can be easy. We grow comfortable with what we know even if it is mediocre living at best and the risk to step out of our comfort zone can seem too big. But, just as he did with Abram, God calls us to not settle but to take bold steps of faith and trust in how he is leading us.
Kim Parsons | As we look to wrap up our series through Ephesians, this week we are challenged and encouraged to equip ourselves to grow in truth, take up God's armor and stand firmly in our faith.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer | This week we turn to a passage in Ephesians that doesn’t give us all the instruction we need to cultivate obedience in our children or explain how we are to parent, but it does point to obedience as being a key component for healthy relationship between parent and child.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | The book of Ephesians does not give us an exhaustive theology of marriage but it does outline the key responsibilities and gives us an amazing analogy of Christ and the Church.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | Is it enough to simply proclaim ourselves Jesus followers? Or how should our lifestyle be impacted because of the love of Christ? Paul commands us to "be imitators of God as beloved children" which can seem daunting. This week we'll dive into what it looks like to have our lives be transformed by the gospel message and walk in the love that God freely gives us.
Pastor Evan Stone | We all have blind spots in our life. Areas that have grown over time that we have either been unaware of, or have become accustomed to. Paul is clear that the more our blind spots persist, the harder or hearts become to what God has called us to be. It takes conscious and specific actions to step into the purpose we have been designed to uphold.
Guest Speaker Lance Witt | What does it mean to be mature or growing as Christians? Is it just about doing the right things or is there a certain level of intentionality and relationship required? This weekend we look at Ephesians 4 and what it means to live in unity and maturity in Jesus.
Pastor Tom Anthony | If you love cheesecake, you may always want that second piece of sweet dessert. But at some point, you'll fill up or stuff yourself to the point of misery or (hopefully not) get burned out on your favorite dessert. With most things in our lives, too much of something will often diminish the initial love, interest or sense of joy we have with it. And too often, we take that rationale into our relationship with God - at some point, his love or grace or forgiveness may lose its' steam. But that is not the case. God has more for us than we could ever imagine, we just need to be willing to open our eyes and ask God to make us even more aware of him.
Pastor Tom Anthony | Whether it's being a morning person or a night person, drinking coffee, tea or nothing, or what our religious or political beliefs might be, it is often easier to find the differences between us and others around us. Yet, God calls us to be unified as believers and that unification deeply impacts how others will come to view God and the Church. How do we work toward that type of unity?
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer | Every summer our Family Life Team welcomes a couple hundred kids from kindergarten through 6th grade for a week of games, singing worship songs and learning about the great love of God. This year they focused on taking a deep dive in what it means to follow God. We are so excited to share with you some of how God showed up in the lives of these kids and leaders this past week as well as what our Family Life Team has coming up for the fall.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | When we read in the Bible of sin or brokenness, it is so easy to point the fingers to other people - "I'm not as bad as THAT person" or "Well at least I don't do THAT". But the reality is we have all sinned and no one deserves grace, forgiveness or freedom from God. This week we will explore the tension between our own sin nature and the ultimate salvation available because of Jesus.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | The letter to the Ephesians reveals how God is at work in our lives, bring redemption, restoration and grace. This week we take a closer look at the first chapter and what it means to truly be adopted into the family of God.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we kick off our brand-new series through the Book of Ephesians! We can't wait to see how God is going to show up through this series to encourage us to walk in faith and freedom and live out our purpose.
Pastor Tom Anthony | This week we wrap up our series through the Nicene Creed as we look at the hope for the world to come and the Creed can mean for us today.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | What does it mean to be the church? Is it simply a place to go on the weekend for an hour or should it impact who we are throughout the week? This week we explore what it means to be a holy and universal Church and the different ways the Church should exist in society.
Guest Speaker Ben Stewart | This week we pivot to a portion of the Nicene Creed that begins to focus more on our practices as a Church and what it means to be part of the Body of Christ, specifically through the practice of baptism.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | Who is the Holy Spirit? How do we interact with the Holy Spirit? What difference does the Holy Spirit make on my life? This week we look at the third person of the Trinity and unpack some of the misconceptions regarding the Holy Spirit in our life.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we look at the creedal lines which speak of the ascension and the second coming of Christ.
Pastor Evan Stone | Hebrews 2 proclaims that God created us, His people, to crown us with glory and honor. But when sin entered the world, we were robbed of that purpose. This week we look at the phrase "for us and our salvation" and the great truth that when Jesus came, he restored that which was robbed from us.
Guest Speaker Eric Sandras | Jesus is more than just the man of God who lived on earth, died a sinner's death and rose three days later. He was there from the very beginning and through him everything was made. This week we look at the third portion of the Nicene Creed which focuses in on Jesus' presence within the Trinity.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we jump into the second line of the Nicene Creed as we focus on the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This weekend we kick off a brand new series as we look at what are the core unmovable beliefs that have defined Christians for hundreds of years.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | We all love the idea of a fresh start but struggle to figure out how it actually works. Easter is the constant reminder that God through Jesus gives us that clean slate, that complete forgiveness, that real "start over".
Guest Speaker Chris Fetters | This past weekend we wrapped our Family Matters series with guest speaker, Chris Fetters, as we looked closer at what it means to specifically and intentionally create a vision for your family and live out those values on a day-to-day basis.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This weekend we looked at a helpful perspective on wealth in God's Kingdom, how everything belongs to Him and practical steps to take toward redeeming our financial picture.
Pastor Rick Clapp & Laura Clapp | Teenage years are tough. That is for sure. These week we hear from a family on our pastoral staff as how they have worked through raising teenagers with intentionality, forgiveness, and hope.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer & Sarah Steenmeyer | This week we continue through our Family Matters series by hearing from one of our pastors and his wife. They share their story of divorce, brokenness, and redemption as well as helpful insights for anyone walking through a blended family.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we invited several couples from our church to share their stories of marriage, parenting, and walking through difficult situations.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe + Laurie Rolfe | The key to a good marriage is not to pursue a good marriage but to pursue the honor of God. This week we take a close look at God's design for intimacy and the ways our world can distort that view.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe & Laurie Rolfe | We all communicate, but how many of us can say we actually do it well? We know good communication can make or break a relationship so this week we're taking a close look at poor communication habits and practical ways we all can grow in this area.
Guest Speaker Mark Gungor | This we kick off our new message series Family Matters and look at 9 different attitudes that will make a significant impact on your relationships.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | If there is one thing we have seen through our study in the Book of Acts it is that God has a huge dream for this world and we are invited to be part of it.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This weekend, Daniel builds off of what we've been learning through the Book of Acts to share some of the mission & vision for Mountain Springs Church as well as our new Ministry Pathway.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | This week we dive into the ways that the apostles celebrated what God had done through Paul's ministries as a way of celebrating all that God did through Mountain Springs in 2017.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer | This week we take a close look at Paul’s journey to the city of Ephesus, a city plagued with idol worship, great sins, and spiritual oppression. And yet, despite all of that, God’s power and miracles are stronger than any of that.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | The advent season allows us to simultaneously acknowledge that though the world is not as it should be, the King is on the way. And, for that reason alone, the weary world can and will rejoice.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Idolatry can often seem like some far-off, long ago issue, an issue that surely can't impact us today. However, just because we don't build physical altars or craft gold calfs to worship doesn't mean that there aren't things in our life that we give more control to than God. What might you submit to in your life more than you submit to God?
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | If we aren’t careful, we can easily make it too difficult for someone to learn about Jesus or grow in their faith for fear of missing the “rules” or making the less important issues the more important ones. This week we take a look at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 to see how the early apostles wrestled with the rapid growth of the Church.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer | This week we take a look at Paul's first missionary journey and the powerful and crucial work of the Holy Spirit guiding, sending, and empowering the apostles.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe | The ancient world can often feel distant and it isn’t easy to relate. However, this week we look at the ways the ancient city of Antioch is similar to our own town and how the Spirit if God brought incredible transformation.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe This weekend we took a close look at a passage of scripture that directly impacts all of us today, a passage that tells of the ultimate inclusion of Gentiles (not just Jews) into the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Evan Stone This weekend we take a close look at Acts 9 & Saul's repentance narrative, how it was only through the power and might of the Lord that Saul was turned from his own ways and became the greatest spreader of the Good News to the Gentiles.
Guest Speaker Lance WItt As we look closely at the story of Philip and the eunuch in Acts 8, we are encouraged and challenged to be on the lookout for divine interruptions and ways that God has already been at work.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe This week we take a close look at conflict in the early church. At one level, this conflict is an issue of unity and acceptance but, at another level, it's an issue of volume and leadership.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe The Book of Acts charts the radical moments of the early church as the disciples pursue the life of the Kingdom. This week we look at Peter's second dramatic speech as he calls people to place their faith in Jesus.
Guest Speaker Jeff Lucas This week we look at the infamous story of Ananais and Sapphira which tells the truth of the early church, this church that was far from perfect.
Pastor Rick Clapp Like the lame beggar being healed and made to walk, God can use our moments of greatest pain or brokenness to bring incredible healing and redemption.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Continuing through the Book of Acts, we continue to see the profound and personal power of the Holy Spirit and the transformation He brings to the lives of the apostles, especially Peter.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe For this second week of Go Boldly, we look at Pentecost, the moment that the Holy Spirit came and changed everything. It was this moment that turned this small group of empty men and women into a kingdom force to be reckoned with.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe
The Book of Acts charts the radical formational moments of the early church and the disciples pursuing the life of the Kingdom. In the same way that it captures the stunning early growth of the church, Acts invites us to go and boldly write the newest chapter of the church.
Pastor Evan Stone The Church isn't only here for us or people who look like us, but for those on the outside, the misplaced, the forgotten, the outsiders. This week we looked at the parable of the lost coin in Luke 15 and how God seeks out those that society often forgets or ignores.
Pastor Evan Stone It can be tempting to think that the Church is there for all people in really general terms. And while the Church exists for all people everywhere, God is a personal God who cares deeply about the individual, about you and I. This week we look at the beginning of Luke 15 and how Jesus chases out the individuals for deep relationship.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Living in God's Kingdom can be difficult at times but if we aren't careful we can minimize all of salvation into a simple one-time decision. However, Jesus didn't only save us from something but for something - to passionately live out this active Spirit-filled Kingdom Life.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Are false prophets still a real thing? How do you discern or determine if someone is true and authentic to God's teaching or is coming in false clothing? This week, Pastor Daniel offers insight and four questions we must ask before submitting to a spiritual leader.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe The Golden Rule may be easy to understand in theory, but it can be incredibly challenging to read and obey. Yet, following this rule will always lead us toward an unhurried humility into the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer This week we are joined again by our Family Life Pastor, Chris Steenmeyer, as we jump back into our series through the Sermon on the Mount. Chris challenges us that living a life of generosity does not depend on how much or frequently we are able to give of our time or resources, but it is about the spirit of generosity that flows from us.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer Everest is our annual discipleship camp where children through 6th gather to worship, play games, learn about God, and serve one another. This week our Pastor of Family Life, Chris Steenmeyer, brings a powerful message on how we as a community can empower and build up the comping generation.
Guest Speaker Lance Witt This week we are joined by author, speaker, and leadership coach Lance Witt. Through Lance’s sermon, we are reminded that prayer is an invitation to converse and encounter the living God and we have Jesus as the powerful example.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe At the beginning of Matthew 6, Jesus lays the groundwork of what prayer is and what it is not. Yet, more than anything, Jesus begins with the assumption that his people are praying.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe This week we look at Jesus’ commandment through the Sermon on the Mount to love our enemies. Probably no admonition of Jesus has been more difficult to follow than this commandment and how it challenges our day-to-day living.
Pastor Chris Steenmeyer Whether we’ve experienced it personally or know someone who has walked through it, divorce is part of our lives and our culture. But what is God’s view of marriage and divorce? How does Jesus address this divisive issue and what steps toward redemption can we take?
Guest Speaker Aldon Purdham This weekend we honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom as well as create a space for us to recognize those in our church community who have lost someone.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Today we look at just a few verses from Matthew 5, verses that are dynamite because of their directness, challenge and metaphor. Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or have been married for many years, this passage is a challenge to raise the banner of morality and increase our fidelity and commitment.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount challenges the way we relate to those around us. One of the most crucial of all life skills that we must learn is the ability to reach for reconciliation in a divided or strained relationship. Jesus challenges us not to run away or ignore conflict but instead to press into it with grace, humility, and forgiveness.
Pastor Jerry Wilson This week we look at a rather perplexing and possibly hopeless outcome if we view it only through our own lens as opposed to from God’s perspective. Jesus proclaims the difference between the law of the prophets and the Kingdom of God. It is through this Kingdom that we are redeemed and set free.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe Through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preaches promises through a paradox. They are simple yet profound in calling us to live a Kingdom life different that the world that surrounds us.
Pastor Daniel Rolfe This week we kick off a 16-week series through the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5, 6, & 7. The sermon gained its name from Jesus’ radical message on the mountain about how to live the Christian life and as we walk through this we will see how radical Jesus is calling us to live today.
When we follow God, we are invited to slow down & listen for his direction in our lives.